Supporting clamp for track lubricators



Aug. 8, 1939. s. E. BATES SUPPORTING CLAMP FOR TRACK LUBRICATORS w IOTTLEyS Imf n15] 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 15, 1936 g- 1939. I s. E.BATES 2,168,554

SUPPORTING CLAMP FOR TRACK LUBRIGATORS Fi'led June 15, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Imfeni r Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES SUPPORTINGCLAIHI" FOR TRACK LUBRIOATORS Sidney E. Bates, Chicago, Ill., assignor,by mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a corporation oi DelawareApplication June 15, 1936, Serial No. 85,348

8 Claims. (o1. mas-s) This'invention relates to rail and wheel flangelubricators and-particularly to improvements in devices for rigidlysecuring such lubricators to railroad rails.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simplifiedclamp structure whichcan be readily applied to rail base flanges ofdii.-, ferent widths and-thicknesses and which, when applied to therail, provide a rigid support for the lubricant distributor and/orthe-wheel actuated mechanism of a rail and wheel flange lubricator.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide asupporting clamp comprising a jaw member formed to engage one edge of arail base and having a wedge engagement with one end of the bolt member,and a plurality of jaw members adapted to be interchangeably fitted onthe other end of the bolt for engagement with the rail base flange atthe other side of the rail, whereby the supporting clamp structure canbe readily varied to fit rail bases of different sizes and to providesuitable supports for different devices or mechanism of a tracklubricator.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the detaileddescription of the embodiments of the invention shown in theabcompanying .drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig; l is a side view in elevation of two lubricant distributing unitsclamped on a railroad rail by means of the improved clamp structures ofthe present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of one form of pump operatingmechanism for track lubricators secured in its operative position on therail by means of clamp structures made in accordance with thisinvention.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 01' Fig. 1 illustrating theposition of the lubricant distributor and'the pump operating mechanismon the rail and showing also the manner in which said lubricatorelements are supported in their position on the rail by means of theimproved clamps.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one oithe'iaw Fig. 6'is a view inperspective of a bolt which forms part of the clamp shown in Fig. 5

and wheel flange lubricaton Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the 'jawmember shown at the right of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the jaw member shown at the left ofFig. 3 for supporting and clamping the wheel actuated mechanism to the 5rail.

For convenience in illustration, the improved supporting clampstructures of the present invention are illustrated in connection withthe lubricant distributors and the wheel actuated l0 pump operatingmechanism, of a well known rail The said clamp structures have been,therefore, constructed with reference to the particular requirements oithe lubricating mechanism shown. It should be un- 15 derstood, however,that the clamp structures herein shown can be used as attaching devicesfor various other forms of track lubricators and in fact might be usedin other situations where similar conditions prevail. v

In the drawings, two lubricant distributing units designated byreference numerals Iii-40 are arranged in close relation to each otherat one side of a railroad rail ii. Each unit comprises a wiping orlubricant supplying member 25 i2 from which lubricant is discharged orother- .wise caused to be applied to the rail head i3 and/or the-wheelflanges ll of passing car wheels.

In order to properly position the distributing units relative to the topof the rail head i3 or 30 relative to the wheel flanges l4, and to alsofacilitate ready application to rails of diiierent sizes,

the said units are provided with adjusting screws 1 5 which extendthrough suitable lugs formed on the units and bear upon the top surfacesof the 35 rail base flange l5. v

Lubricant is supplied to the above units by means of a suitable pump(not shown-) adapted to be operated by wheel actuated mechanism ii.

The said mechanism I! may be of any suitable 40 construction. For thepurpose of illustration it is shown herein as comprising a pivoted leveri8 -mounted on a bar iii to extend above the rail adjusting screws22--22 which seat on the topgo surfaces of the rail base flange.Preferably the said wheel actuated mechanism is so positionedon the sideof the rail opposite the adjacent ends 23-23 of the distributingunits,that the said wheel actuating mechanism and the adjacent ends of thedistributors may be secured to the rail by means of the clamp structuresdesignated 2424. The outer ends of the distributing units are secured tothe rail by means of clamp structures 25-25.

Each of the clamp structures designated by the numeral 25 comprises ajaw member 26 for engagement with one side of the rail base, a jaw 2tfor engaging the other edge of the base, a connecting bolt 28 and nut29, the latter of which engages one end of the bolt to force the variouselements of the clamp into tight gripping engagement with the baseportion of the rail. The jaw member 26 is in the form of a hollowbracket recessed at 30 to receive one edge of the rail base. Thevertical dimensions of the recess 30 are somewhat greater than thethickness of the rail base flange so that the jaw member can be readilyapplied to base flanges of different thicknesses. The top portion 3i ofthe jaw preferably slopes inwardly toward the rail and provides a seatto which the lubricant distributor is attached by means of a bolt 32.Suitable shims 33--34 are preferably interposed between the distributorand the seat 35 to facilitate adjustment of the distributor to anydesired vertical or angular positions on the rail. A number of shims maybe used. Two shims are illustrated in the drawings, the shim 33 being ofuniform thickness and the shim 34 being formed at one edge with aninturned portion which may be turned to any desired position on the seat3i to vary the slope of the lubricant distributor relative to the rail.The bolt opening 35 in the jaw 26 is preferably elongated, as shown inFig. 7, to permit lateral adjustment of the distributing unit relativeto the rail. The side walls of the jaw member 26' (Figs. 7 and 8) areprovided with inwardly projecting ribs which strengthen and rigidify thesaid walls and at the same time minimize the area of the frictionalcontact between the side walls of the jaw member and the side faces ofthe wedge bolt 28. The bottom wall of the jaw is rounded transversely ofthe jaw and inclines upwardly toward the center of the rail to providean inclined wedge surface 31 which, in the assembled relation of theparts, engages a wedge portion 38 of the bolt 28. The top portion 39 ofsaid bolt wedge bears flat against the bottom surface of the rail basewhen the clamp is in its applied position, whereby movement of the boltin one direction transversely of the rail forces the wedge portion 38thereof between the bottom surface of the rail base and the inclinedsurface 31 of the jaw member 26 and thereby forces the rail engaging jaw40 of said jaw member into tight gripping engagement with the topsurface of the rail base. The extremity of the wedge shaped end of thebolt is preferably inclined outwardly and downwardly relative to therail, as indicated at 4|, so that the bolt 32 can be readily applied orremovedfrom its position between the side walls of the jaw memberwithout disturbing the clamping bolt 28 or other ele ments of the clamp.

The jaw member 21 (Figs. 4 and is adapted to fit slidably on the otherend of the bolt 28 and is preferably provided with two rail basereceiving recesses 42 and 43, which define jaw members adapted to gripthe top and bottom surfaces of the rail base. The said recesses are ofdifferent dimensions so that one or the other of them will receive andtightly grip any one of the various sizes of rail base flanges now ingeneral use. The bolt opening through said member 21 amasseseparates theportion of the member adapted to grip the bottom surface of the railinto two parts, designated 72a and We.

From the above description it will be apparent that a tighteningmovement of the nut 253 to draw the bolt 28 transversely of the railwill force the wedge portion 38 of the bolt into tight wedging positionbetween the bottom surface of the rail base and the inclined surface 3'5of the' jaw member 26 andalso force the jaw member 21 into tightgripping engagement with the rail base. The lubricant distributor Iiimay be readily applied, removed or adjusted on the bracket portion ofthe jaw member 28 without disturbing any element of the clamp structure.

Referring now to the clamp structure desig-- nated generally by thereference numeral'fil, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3: This combination clampstructure is quite similar to the clamp structure previously describedin that the jaw 25 and the bolt 28 are the same as the correspondingelements used in the said clamp 25 previously described in connectionwith Fig. 5. The jaw member A l at the other end of the bolt is somewhatdifferent from the jaw member 21, in that it is provided with suitablemeans for attachment to the bar or frame structure IQ of the wheelactuated mechanism H. The said jaw 4? comprises a shoe member formedwith a U-shaped lower jaw por tion 45 through which the threaded endportion of the bolt 28 extends. The top portions Mia-45?) of the lowerjaw portion 45 bear against .the bottom surface of the rail base atspaced locations lengthwise of the rail. The top jaw G8 is preferablyflat and bears against the inclined top surface of the rail base. Forthis purpose the under-surface of the upper jaw is inclined atapproximately the same angle as the top sur" face of the rail base. Anarmportion 4? extends upwardly from the upper jaw 46 and is adapted tobe clamped by suitable bolts 48 to the supporting bar IQ of the wheelactuated mechanism. ii. In order to permit suitable adjustment of thewheel actuated mechanism the bolt receiving opening 49 in the arm H iselongated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9. Suitable shims 5w may beinterposed between the bar I9 and the arm 41 of the clamp jaw tofacilitate proper spacing of the bar l9 and the elements supportedthereon relative to the rail.

In Fig. 5a the jaw 26 and the bolt 28 are shown secured together by asuitable bolt or rivet 5i so that these members are maintained in fixedrelation to each other. By this means of assembly the said clamp membersmay be secured together at the factory to fit the rail or to maintain afixed clearance between the vertical edge 52 of the rail base and thevertical edge 53 of the clamp.

While the invention is illustrated in connection with one specificembodiment of rail and wheel flange lubricators and in connection withcertain preferred clamp jaw constructions it will be readily apparentfrom the above description that various modifications of the clampstructures might be made without departure from the principles of theinvention. It should be understood, therefore, that the presentinvention contemplates all changes in structure coming within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clamp device for securing rail and wheel flange lubricatingmechanisms on a railroad rail comprising: a jaw member recessed toreceive one edge of a rail base flange and having a portion surfaces ofrail flanges of different sizes and for attachmentto a part of saidmechanism, a jaw member formedwith portions for gripping the top andbottom surfaces of the base flange at the other side of the rail, andconnecting means for forcing said jaws into tight gripping engagementwith the rail comprising a bolt member formed with a tapered portionadapted to wedge between the rail base and one of said jaw members.

2. A clamp device for securing rail and wheel flange lubricatingmechanisms to a railroad rail I comprising: a jaw member recessed toreceive one edge of a rail base flange and having a portion forattachment to a part of said mechanism, a jaw member recessed to provideportions for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of the rail baseflange at the other side of the rail, and conpart of said mechanism, ajawmember recessed to receive the edge portion of the rail base flangeat the other side of the rail, and connecting means for forcing saidjaws into tight gripping engagement with the rail base comprising a boltextending across beneath the rail base and formed with a tapered portionadapted to wedge between the bottom surface of the rail base and saidloose fitting jaw member to force this jaw member into tight grippingengagement with the top surface of the rail base flange engaged. j

4. A clamp bracket for supporting a separable element on a railroad railcomprising: a jaw "member adapted to engage the top and verticalmentioned jaw-member.

v 5. A clamp bracket for supporting a separable element on a railroadrail comprising: a jaw member recessedto receive railfbase flanges ofdifferent thicknesses and having a portion above the :rail base forattachment to the element being supported, a jaw member at the otherside of the rail having a plurality of recesses thereinadapted toreceive and grip the top and bottom means for connecting said jawmembers and for forcing them into gripping engagement with said basecomprising a bolt movable transversely of the rail and provided at oneend with a tapered portion adapted to wedge between the bottom surfaceof the rail base and the flrst mentioned jaw member.

6 A clamp device for securing rail and wheel flange lubricatingmechanism on a rail comprising: a hollow jaw. member for engagementwith:

one flange of a rail base and including a seat por-' tion on which apart of said mechanism is supported, spaced side walls and a bottomsurface.

' the latter of which inclines outwardly and downwardly transversely ofthe rail; a jaw member for engaging the top and bottom surfaces of therail base flange at the other side of the rail; a wedge bolt extendingthrough said jaw member and movable transversely of the rail to forcethe jaws into tight gripping engagement with the rail base, one end ofsaid bolt being adapted to wedge between the bottom of the rail base andthe inclined bottom of the first mentioned jaw; and means for moving thebolt relative to the jaws to force the jaws into clamping engagementwith I the rail base.

with one flangeof a rail base and including a seat I portion'on which apart of said mechanism is supported, spaced side walls formed withinwardly projecting rigidifying ribs and a downwardly and outwardlyinclined bottom surface; a'jaw member for engaging the other side of therail base and having a plurality of jaws for accommodating rail bases ofdifferent thicknesses; a wedge bolt extending through said jaw membersand movable transversely of the rail to force the jaws into tightgripping engagement with the rail base, one end of said bolt beingadapted to wedge between the bottom of the rail base andthe inclinedbottom of the first mentioned jaw; and means for moving the said boltrelative to said jaws to force the said jaws into-said rail clampingengagement.

8. A clamp device for securing rail and wheel flange lubricatingmechanism on a railroad rail comprising: a hollow jaw member forengagement with the top and vertical edge surfaces of one flange of arail base, a jaw member for engagement with the top and bottom surfacesof the other base flange and having an upwardly extending arm foradjustably supporting a part of said lubricator mechanism, and a wedgemovable into wedging position between the bottom surface of the railbase and one of said jaw members and adapted to hold a jaw thereof inrail gripping CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION; Patent No. 2,168,551,,. August8, 1959.

SIDNEY E. BATES I It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows: Page 2, sec- 0nd column, line 3, for "72a and 72b" read 279.and 27b; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrectiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office,

Signed and sealed this 5rd day of. October, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

